robelgordo wrote:RFM free to talk to other clubs: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/bulldogs-officially-grant-faitala-mariner-permission-to-negotiate-with-rival-clubs-20230905-p5e25c.html
Fall from grace seems to be being named the club captain, acting like a club captain by raising player concerns about club culture, and being frozen out a result.
Also RFM got pneumonia from training while sick, was hospitalised for a week and lost 6kgs, which explains his low involvement at the back end of the season.
tl;dr Bulldogs club in shambles.
I've had a crack at the Bulldogs Admin/Leadership before but it sounds like the old 'respect my authoritaaaayyy' play before you've done anything to get them onside.
It's like the response to the wrestling thing...lots of old Bulldogs going 'in my day we blah blah blah....too soft' missing the whole point that it's not about the physicality of the punishment, it's about humiliating someone in front of their peers and using those peers to enforce your authority regardless of whether or not they are comfortable with the humiliation being dealt out. Players don't expect to get away scott free but if you humiliate someone you won't get respect you'll get hatred. It would also be more likely to lose you respect from other players. TBH it's a pretty piss weak move from an amateur leader.
Blaming the players is a massive cop out (particularly when a large % of the playing group has been recruited in the last few years).